The present invention relates to electronic price label (EPL) systems, and more specifically to a method of changing an EPL display sequence.
EPL systems typically include a plurality of EPLs for merchandise items in a transaction establishment. EPLs typically display the price of corresponding merchandise items on store shelves and are typically attached to a rail along the leading edge of the shelves. A transaction establishment may contain thousands of EPLs to display the prices of the merchandise items. The EPLs are coupled to a central server from where information about the EPLs is typically maintained in an EPL data file. Price information displayed by the EPLs is obtained from a price look-up (PLU) data file and stored within an EPL price change record.
EPLs are also being used to display more than just price information. Retailers are using EPLs to display promotional information in order to more effectively market associated merchandise items. A typical marketing strategy is to define groups of merchandise items to which the retailer can tailor its promotion and pricing policies. During off-peak hours, retailers display inventory and status information for the benefit of employees. EPLs may be programmed to display more than one type of information in sequences using flashing and scheduling techniques.
EPLs typically include a memory for storing operating information, display information, and instructions. This memory typically includes a plurality of data registers. A typical EPL with an eight-character liquid crystal display requires one data register for storing display information.
However, EPLs have limited memory capacity for storing the many types of information which must be displayed. A typical EPL has four data registers which can simultaneously store, at most, two types of information.
Also, in a system which includes EPLs having limited memory capacity, sending new data to an EPL with an instruction to display the new data eats up bandwidth and requires additional communication time than would be required to send only the instruction.
In order to temporarily change information displayed by an EPL, a message containing the temporary information must be sent to the EPL. Following expiration of the temporary period, a message containing the originally displayed information must be sent to the EPL. In total, two messages containing the originally displayed information must be sent to the EPL, one before the temporary change and one after the temporary change.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a method of changing an EPL display sequence for a single EPL or a group of EPLs which automatically manages addressing of messages to EPLs as promotion and pricing policies for the group change, despite the memory capacity limitation of an EPL. It would also be desirable to conserve EPL system bandwidth and change display sequences faster.
In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a method of changing an electronic price label (EPL) display sequence is provided.
The EPL display sequence change method includes the steps of determining a number of pieces of information which are currently stored within a memory in an EPL, wherein the memory contains a plurality of different locations for storing the pieces of information; determining a first sequence by which the EPL currently displays the pieces of information in the different locations, including at least one piece of information; determining a second sequence to replace the first sequence; creating a message addressed to the EPL containing a command to execute the second sequence; and sending the message to the EPL.
The method of the present invention anticipates that certain pieces of information must be added to the memory. Thus, the method may further include the steps of determining whether the second sequence requires a new piece of information to be stored within the memory of the EPL; and if the new sequence requires a new piece of information to be stored within the memory of the EPL, creating a pre-load message containing the new data and instructions for storing the new data and sending the pre-load message to the EPL prior to sending the one message.
The method of the present invention further manages sequence changes for defined groups of EPLs. Thus, the method may further include the steps of determining a group of EPLs, wherein the EPLs in the group store the pieces of information in accordance with the first sequence; identifying the EPLs in the group, including the one EPL; and sending the message containing the second sequence to the EPLs in the group.
Advantageously, the method of the present minimizes storage problems in EPLs having limited memory capacity. The present invention automatically tracks and adds data and/or instructions which are not already in memory, but does so in a way that conserves system bandwidth and improves response time.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a method of changing an EPL display sequence.
It is another object of the present invention to change display sequences of groups of EPLs.
It is another object of the present invention to change display sequences of groups of EPLs.
It is another object of the present invention to change display sequences by adding information in memory in a way which conserves bandwidth.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method of displaying a different type of information under a display sequence, by one or a group of EPLs, using a limited amount of EPL memory.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a method of displaying temporary information, by one or a group of EPLs.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method of displaying temporary information, by one or a group of EPLs, which avoids having to send originally displayed information back to the one EPL or the group of EPLs after displaying the temporary information.
It is another object of the present invention to return one or a group of EPLs to a previous display state as quickly as possible.